Coming off the best season of his six-year career, defensive lineman Zach Allen is seeking a “lucrative extension” with the Broncos, per Chris Tomasson of the Denver Gazette.

Allen is entering the final year of a three-year, $45.75M contract, per OverTheCap. He has no guaranteed money remaining on his deal and will count for $19.8M against the 2025 salary cap. An extension could reduce that to $10.5M, though that would require a sizable financial commitment from the Broncos.

The interior pass-rusher market has skyrocketed since Allen signed with the Broncos in 2023, so he will be looking for a sizable raise from his current $15.75M APY. After a second-team All-Pro nod in 2024, Allen’s demands are expected to start at $25M per year, according to Tomasson. That would be the third-highest APY among active interior defensive linemen and the fourth-highest at the position in league history.

Allen set career-highs in 2024 with 8.5 sacks and 15 tackles for loss, but the Broncos may not be willing to give him a top-of-the-market contract. He compiled 13.5 sacks and 23 tackles for loss over the previous three seasons, so Denver may wait for Allen to repeat his current production before meeting his asking price.

The team may still be willing to come to the negotiating table due to Allen’s youth and cap hit. He’s only 27 years old and could anchor the middle of the defensive line for the foreseeable future. Denver currently has $40.85M of cap space ahead of free agency, and they have other avenues to create more room. Still, the extra $9.25M created by an Allen extension certainly wouldn’t hurt, especially if they secure his services for a few more years.